So let’s begin with the 80′s type cinematography, mixed with a little bit of that 90′s action, throw in a late 90′s / early 2000′s language as well as a bit of 2000′s CG work and what do you get? A combination that really doesn’t fit in well with anything, thus you have… The Losers. Sadly enough it wasn’t up to par with the movie going experience I wanted.

The Losers, based of the comic book series with the same title, is about 5 members of the CIA’s black ops who were betrayed by their own when doing a mission in Bolivia. Presumed dead after faking their own deaths in a helicopter bombing that they survived they take to staying undercover until they could find a way back into American soil so they can take revenge on Max, the man who gave the orders to kill them all. In comes Zoe Saldana’s character Aisha who claims she can help them take revenge on Max and bring them back into American soil. Clay, the leader of the group played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, gathers his reluctant crew of misfits into joining him in taking Max down. The crew consists of Jensen, Pooch, Cougar and Roque played by Chris Evans, Colombus Short, Oscar Jaenada, and Idris Elba. The team find themselves in the middle of Max’s plan in plan to start a high tech war against the world. Staying deep undercover, they try to find a way to even the score against the heavily guarded Max so they can find a way to gain their lives back.

The premise as amusing as it sounds, is only that. Though actions speak louder than words, I believe the words gave the film a higher edge than it should have. The beginning was a great hook into the film’s style. Introducing the characters in a comic book like manner and made sure that the audience understood exactly what was happening with them. However the film just went downhill from the first 5 minutes. The style of the movie just didn’t look too appealing and tried to play off warm colors with the yellow, the reds, and it was as if someone threw paint on the wall and called it art. It’s up for interpretation. The colors did not blend well with the scenes, and the cinematography as mentioned earlier could be compared to that of the action films in the late 80s and early 90s. In a way it reminded me a bit of the A-Team which some can compare The Losers to as a cheesy knockoff. At some points I can agree to that.

The acting, only slightly acceptional to say the least. Though Chris Evans, Colombus Short and Oscar Jaenada seemed to play their parts off in well manner, and might I say a good job on Evans part who I might add is due to a little typecasting, but it’s what he’s good at and it worked for him. The other actors in the film however fell short in my book. Zoe Saldana at times I felt as if she stumbled on her character as well as Idris Elba. Jason Patric who played Max really annoyed me in a way that I wish he put more life into the character, at times it felt as if there wasn’t a script and he just ad libbed his lines and in the end it turned out wrong. Jeffrey Dean Morgan I could say the same about, as the leader of the group and the man who played The Comedian in Watchman, I expected more and got nothing out of his character. It’s as if there was no direction as to how these people should act and no understanding of the characters being portrayed. It was a slightly dull performance, with the exception of Evans, Short and Jaenada who’s character did not really speak which gave him the “cool” factor and probably eye candy for some of the ladies.

What saved the movie from total disaster for me was the soundtrack. With Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” playing during a chase scene around an office building gave me a little hope that the film isn’t as bad as I thought it to be. The action does pick up at times, but only to fall short and return to the bland acting and oh-so-predictable storyline. I haven’t read the comics so I have nothing to compare it too in that regard, and others can’t say “of course you predicted it! It’s in the comic book!” Well ha! to you because I didn’t read it and I still got the ending and where the plot was going from when the second act began. The plot was predictable, the action seemed a little half-assed, and the sad attempt at romance seemed off.

Overall, I have to give this film a disappointing 2 1/2 reels. I sat through the film and got a bit of a headache from the camera movements and dull acting.